Keyboard Amp? Look No Farther Than Roland's KC Series

Guitarists wouldn't dream of gigging without their trusty amps. So why should keyboardists be expected to run their rigs through some unknown-quantity venue PA? The powerful Roland KC-550 keyboard amp is a great way to localize your sound when you're sharing the stage with a large ensemble, and it's a must-have for solo gigs in makeshift venues that lack a decent sound system. And if you've ever struggled to hear your keyboards in your own monitor wedge, the KC-550 makes a fantastic personal monitor, while you use its stereo Line Outs to run your rig into the PA. Your keyboard rig is packed with fantastic sounds -- let the Roland KC-550 bring them to life with 180 watts of clear, deep power.

The Roland KC Sound

It's no surprise that this Roland amp is a favorite among live keyboardists. The 180-watt, two-way speaker system is tipped back to project your sound up and out, combining a 15-inch woofer and piezo tweeter to cover your keyboards' full range. In addition to stereo Line Outs, there's also a Subwoofer Out jack for even more impressive bass. The 3-band EQ provides control over your highs, mids, and lows, while the Shape switch provides an instant boost in the upper and lower ranges. So, what sounds better than a Roland KC-550 amp? Two of 'em -- in Stereo Link mode. Plug in the left and right outputs of your keyboard to the first KC-550, and run a single cable to the second amp via their Stereo Link ports. It's an excellent way to give your keyboards' stereo-sampled patches the respect they deserve onstage.

Connect Four Stereo Inputs

Skip the rack mixer in your keyboard rig, and plug up to four stereo keyboards or sound modules directly into your KC-550 amp! In addition to 4 sets of stereo 1/4-inch jacks, there's a balanced XLR input for microphones -- perfect for keys/vocal solo gigs. Want to play to a click track? Set the Output Select knob to send Channel 4 only to your headphones. Or if the front-of-house PA is sending you a monitor feed from other instruments, plug it into channel 4 and turn Output Select to route it to the internal speakers, not Line Out. The amp's main volume control doesn't affect the Line Out volume, so you can monitor loudly or quietly on your KC-550 while sending your full-volume mix to the main PA. It's an amp, mixer, and monitoring solution in one rolling box.

The Do-Everything Amp

With its onboard mixing and personal-monitor capabilities, the Roland KC-550 is a versatile tool for anyone who plays live. And with its fat 15-inch woofer and dedicated tweeter, the Roland KC-550 delivers clear, rich, full-range sound that most guitar or bass amps don't even attempt. Perhaps that's why guitarists like to play through the KC-550, especially when they're going electric-acoustic. Roland amps are also a favorite among the digital-drum-kit crowd. And with its stereo RCA inputs for aux sources like MP3 or CD players, it's a flexible portable PA. Overall, the KC-550 is a fantastic go-everywhere, do-everything workhorse -- no matter what instrument you play.

More Keys, Please

When you want enough Roland sound to fill mid-sized venues, the 180-watt KC-550 is the perfect size. Keyboardists can't always depend on a venue's PA, and whether you're rehearsing or on a gig, it's just plain gratifying to pump a big, fat sound out of a serious set of speakers. So why should guitarists and bassists have all the fun? Get control over your on-stage sound with the Roland KC-550 amp.

Features:

- 15-inch woofer and piezo tweeter deliver 180 watts of output
- Clean, powerful amplification for gigs of any size, or as a personal monitor
- Rich, full sound covers the full range of keyboards, vocals, and other instruments
- 4-channel mixer provides individual level control over 4 stereo sources
- 4 sets of stereo 1/4-inch inputs, plus XLR input on channel 1
- XLR and 1/4-inch stereo Line Outs connect directly to a mixing board or recording device
- Output Select on channel 4 lets you send it to the internal speakers only, skipping the Line Out -- idea for monitoring
- RCA aux inputs -- listen to CD or MP3 players over your amp
- Line Out and Subwoofer Out jacks -- connect to a PA or a separate sub
- Ground Lift switch
- Headphone jack with separate volume control
- 3-band equalizer controls highs, mids and lows, plus Shape switch gives extra high and low-end punch
- Casters included for easy transport

Product Description

The Roland KC-550 boasts 180 watts of powerful sound via a 15-inch speaker and horn tweeter. In addition to its four input channels, this flagship amp includes an Output Select switch for selecting the monitor sound destination, a Shape switch for quick sound adjustment and an XLR Line output for direct connection to a mixing console.

4-Channel Mixing

KC-series amplifiers feature a flexible mixing section designed with the performing musician in mind. The flagship models feature up to four stereo inputs, and KC amps include a Microphone input and stereo Auxiliary input for connecting CD players.

Stereo Link Capabilities

The KC-550 and KC-350 include Roland's Stereo Link feature for chaining two amplifiers. Using a single cable, you can connect two KC amps for true stereo sound while controlling them both from the amp nearest you on stage.

Subwoofer-Ready

Want more low end? Simply add an optional subwoofer like Roland's KCW-1. Connections are easy, thanks to the Subwoofer output found on all KC amps. Now even the most affordable models can sound huge!

Built for the Road

KC amps are built for life on the road. All models have built-in handles for easier transportation (the Roland KC-550 also includes casters) and a rugged design with heavy-duty carpeting, protective edges and an all-metal grille.

Sound:
I don't think you can find anything that gives comparable sound in its unique category. It was like hearing a 19' Bosendorf while playing my FP3. The bass and mid bass were the most like hearing a real grand. I know I've owned a couple. The higher I went up in pitch the less the keys sounded like the real thing but that makes sense since there is no way to get the surface area of three grand strings into that tiny little compression driver lens they use on the horn in the 550. Now if they'd used a compression driver with a 4'' titanium lens then you may get the sound of a real piano because you'd be able to deliver the kind of air a real piano delivers off the strings. The sampled sounds in a realistic sounding keyboard synth have already captured the resonance of the surrounding reflective surfaces so the only thing left to do is deliver roughly the same amount of moving air to get the density of sound (presence) for the highs. In order to do that roland would have to charge another 500.00 to put in a high frequency driver of that quality and the price of the cab would be very high. Therefore the sound of the roland 550 is about as great as can be expected for the price.
Feature:
You could go on forever adding features once you incorporate a 4 channel mixer in the system. However for the money I can add features like reverb, compression, and such.
The only feature that I think is truly missing from this cabinet is the ability to switch the amp from 110 volt to 220 for international touring. These days anyone who misses that is living in the dark ages and I have to say that Roland is sadly remiss in many of it's products for not equipping their musical products with obvious dual voltage (preferably auto sensing) features.
Ease of Use:
It doesn't get much easier than this.
Quality:
I just got the amp so I have yet to learn its weaknesses. New it looks great. I'd probably have preferred one of the newer rubberlike finishes instead of the more old fashioned carpet surface which looks great out of the box but on the road and even at home it picks up every speck of dust in the world and every piece of velcro that passes by grabs hold of it. Not to mention that my cats are constantly being reprimanded and sent outside for thinking I bought it as a scratching post.
Value:
For the price I paid there was no equal anytime anywhere at any price that I know of that could compete.
Manufacturer Support:
So far I have not needed support for any roland products. I once tried to inform them of an unscrupulous retailer (seriously criminal) in another country and Roland USA head office had no way to process my complaint nor did anyone ever get back to me.
The Wow Factor:
I loved everything about it except the carpet. The carpet looks great but it is hard to keep looking great. For those who don't smoke but sometimes play where there is smoke -- that stench always comes home with them and it never comes out.
Overall:
I just got it so it is hard not to like it at this point. It was the best I could find... in fact I'd ordered a 350 and they sent a 550. For a couple days I thought I'd just forgotten how large it was and then talked to the rep who said he'd upgraded me because there was a technical problem with the one I'd ordered.

Sound:
I knew of this amp's legacy long before I bought it, and it met every expectation. I tried it in the store, and it reproduced the lowest piano note with a true rich tone. TONS OF BASS!!!!ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PUNCHY TIGHT LOW END!!!
I am using this with a full band, and it cut through the rest of the instruments even with half volume.
Feature:
This amp has four channels, one of them being a mic input. I imagine it would be great as a solo gigging PA, but haven't tried a mic in it yet. However, I bought this for a guitar synth, so both the keyboard player and my synth are going simultaneously, and this amp handles us both with ease.
Value:
I didn't check out any other amps, but I'm pretty sure this one sounds better than just about anything else out there. But I still wish it were cheaper :(

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